This application claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 101 44 006.5, filed Sep. 7, 2001, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a method for message diagnosis, in particular for diagnosing error messages, and for error recovery.
The article xe2x80x9cInternet Technologies in the Industrial Automation: Present Applications and Future Potentialxe2x80x9d by Peter Terwiesch, published in the Journal Automatisierungstechnik in January 2001 by the Oldenbourg Verlag, discloses on page 32 to 37 remote access to industrial machines, in particular access to the data of industrial machines. Internet technology paves the way for remote monitoring and remote diagnostics. A system-specific operating console on the user side enables the user to make remote requests. Remote monitoring allows one or several experts access to an industrial machine. Remote monitoring can also include supervisory functionality.
Disadvantageously, the data have to be evaluated by human intervention, such as by a group of experts or by at least one expert. The evaluation includes, for example, information about repair measures. Messages, in particular error messages from the least one industrial machine, are diagnosed, for example, centrally via remote monitoring or locally by the expert. The experts are informed about the messages via a man-machine-interface (MMI). The experts obtain their expertise through familiarity with the machines that generate the messages. This expertise is built up, for example, in that the experts know at least one error message that occurs in an industrial machine already from another identical or similar machine, where they have repaired the error through suitable error recovery measures. The error recovery measures are then known to the experts and are used for error recovery on another identical industrial machine. Insight into error messages and the associated error recovery measures can also be obtained, for example, by observing an industrial machine over a certain period of time. Industrial machines are, for example machine tools, production machines or robots. Error diagnosis can also applied to the machines components. A system for error recovery is deduced from the centralized message diagnosis performed by personnel and/or the industrial machine(s) that generate messages, because the experts participate in the error recovery, for example via remote intervention, or locally, possibly through local personnel.
A method for a centralized and/or local message diagnosis raises many problems, such as forgetfulness of people, illness of the experts, response time of the experts, working hours, continuous access to personnel, varying degrees of expertise by different experts, familiarity with foreign languages and so on.
It is therefore desirable to provide a method for error diagnosis which improves error handling and recovery.
According to one aspect of the invention, in a method for message diagnosis, in particular for error messages, and for error recovery in a system with at least one industrial machine, in particular a machine tool, a production machine and/or a robot and/or components thereof, one or several error messages and their accompanying circumstances are stored in at least one message diagnosis unit together with the corresponding generated error recovery measure(s), so that when one or several known errors are repeated, the stored measures are immediately and automatically accessed and the proven error recovery measures are supplied to the respective machine.
Industrial machines, such as machine tools, production machines and robots, frequently have mechanisms for generating messages. Messages are to be understood as representing information relating to the switch-on state of the industrial machine or other parameters relating to the industrial machine that describe its state, such as temperature, operating times, pressures or error messages. Error messages are generated, for example, when the industrial machine is in a state that is different from its normal operating state. Error messages can be caused, for example, by a malfunction of components which can result in an interruption of the process flow, excess temperatures, excess pressures, the absence of an operating resource, exceeding an electric current or electric voltage or, for example, also a loss of electrical power. Error messages can also be alarm messages. Alarm messages are messages which indicate, for example, a critical state or a potential for a critical state in the near future, which can limit the operating range of the industrial machine, for example a dwindling supply of raw materials for industrial machines that process raw materials. Alarm messages can also relate to the number of operating hours.
Industrial machines frequently include different components. Many machine tools have, for example, electric drives. The electric motor of an electric drive is powered, for example, via a converter. Both the motor and the converter are components and can be implemented so as to generate component messages. Components can also have additional sub-components which can also generate error messages. An example are converters which have a power section and a control section.
An industrial machine or its components generate messages, such as error messages which are supplied to a message diagnosis unit. The messages are provided either locally at the industrial machine or externally.
With an external message diagnosis unit, systems such as telephone lines, wireless transmission, for example via a mobile telephone, data networks such as LAN or WAN or the Internet can be used for data transmission. Transmission channels already in use with remote diagnosis units can also be employed. The transmission of data or messages can be automated so that a message can be transmitted immediately after it has been generated, which speeds up error recovery. The transmission of data and/or messages can also be automated in such a way that they are transmitted with a time delay if transmission to a central unit has to be authorized first. This is advantageous, for example, if a fee has to be paid for the diagnosis of the messages and for returning messages with proposed error recovery measures, for example to the service provider of the message diagnosis.
With local message diagnosis units, an already existing system for for data processing, such as a numeric controller, a computer-numeric controller or a storage-programmed controller can advantageously be used for the message diagnosis. At least one error recovery measure is stored in the message diagnosis unit in addition to the received error messages. If the message diagnosis unit is not yet aware of error recovery measures for a specific error, then there is either no need for error recovery measures or the proposed error recovery measures should be added to the message diagnosis. When a known error occurs, the message diagnosis unit automatically and immediately accesses the stored error recovery measures which are supplied by the message diagnosis unit to the corresponding machine which reported the error(s). Unknown errors and/or accompanying circumstances can be advantageously included in the message diagnosis. To improve the diagnosis, the accompanying circumstances of the error message are included in the error diagnosis. Accompanying circumstances are, for example, other errors or messages which are produced simultaneously and/or with a time delay, but also the absence of other errors or messages. If, for example, the blower fails in an air-cooled electric machine, then the error messages xe2x80x9cblower failurexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9covertemperaturexe2x80x9d can be generated, whereby either error message can represent an accompanying circumstance for the other error message.
The error recovery measures stored in the message diagnosis unit for an error message and its accompanying circumstances are, for example, instructions for personnel that has to eliminate the error and/or commands to the industrial machine for performing an automatic repair. An automatic repair can be performed, for example, by loading new software in the industrial machine and/or by initiating automatic test and/or optimization processes.
Since error messages repeat for a particular industrial machine or components, or also for different industrial machines or components, error recovery measures are stored for one or several known error messages and can be transmitted to the respective machine. The error message and the error recovery measure(s) are automatically linked and can therefore be performed quickly and immediately. The error recovery measure(s) can advantageously also provided to operators of the industrial machine which advantageously includes a man-machine-interface.
If an error generates different error messages, for example due to a power failure for front-end subassemblies that generate error signals, then a flurry of errors (error shower) or a flurry of messages (message shower) is generated. Error showers with a specific characteristics can be traced to certain errors which can be repaired by error recovery measures. By analyzing and diagnosing error showers and message showers, an original error that indirectly and/or directly accompanies other errors can be used for the diagnosis of the problem and/or error. Error messages can therefore be diagnosed with the help of direct, i.e., accompanying circumstances occurring nearly at the same time, but also by being aware of accompanying circumstances that occurred at different times. Accompanying circumstances are reported to the message diagnosis unit through messages. The absence of accompanying messages is a special form of an accompanying circumstance. Error messages together with their accompanying circumstances, which can also be signal states of a memory-programmable controller, form an error image. If the error messages have additional information, such as a date and/or a time stamp, then this information can be included in the diagnosis to improve the diagnosis of the error(s). Error recovery measures are stored in the central and/or local message diagnosis, i.e., the message diagnosis unit, wherein at least one error recovery measure can be or is associated with certain errors. Advantageously, experience and knowledge of developers, systems testers, application engineers and/or end users can be used. If an error with the corresponding accompanying circumstances is not yet known to the message diagnosis unit, or if associated error recovery measures are not sufficiently known and/or are not known at all, then new information regarding an error, the corresponding accompanying circumstances and/or new or changed error recovery measures can be introduced into the message diagnosis.
In an advantageous embodiment, the method for message diagnosis includes a system with at least two industrial machines that are at least partially identical, whereby one or several error messages and their accompanying circumstances are stored in a central message diagnosis unit together with the accompanying error recovery measure(s), so that if one or more known errors are repeated, the stored error recovery measures are immediately and automatically accessed and the proven error recovery measures are transmitted to the respective machine.
If industrial machines and/or their components are manufactured in a quantity of the order xe2x80x9cOnexe2x80x9d, then there exist at least two identical industrial machines or at least two identical components. Identical industrial machines or components are equipped with the same message units or with similar message units, so that these can be compared with each other if error messages or messages in general are present. Data relating to messages and, in particular, data relating to error messages that are supplied to the center having a central message analysis capability are automatically diagnosed.
A central message diagnosis unit has the advantage that the knowledge, i.e., the data concerning repairs, of systems having at least partially identical parts can be enhanced at a central location.
In another advantageous embodiment of the method for message diagnosis, at least two message diagnosis units are provided. The electric machine transmits the messages, in particular the error messages, to a first message diagnosis unit. This unit determines error recovery measures. If these error recovery measures do not eliminate the error, then the error message with the accompanying circumstances can be transmitted by the industrial machine and/or by the first message diagnosis unit to a second, more central message diagnosis unit. This can occur already during the transmission to the first message diagnosis unit, in particular to enhance the data in the central unit and to increase its efficiency. In this way, the first message diagnosis unit as a more central message diagnosis unit need not be concerned with the analysis of simple error images.
In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the industrial machine supplies to the message diagnosis unit at least one error message and its accompanying circumstances and at least one error recovery measure.
When an industrial machine has transmitted an error message to the central message diagnosis and/or to a first message diagnosis and has received from the central unit one or several error recovery measures, and if the error(s) cannot be repaired or cannot be adequately repaired, then additional error recovery measures must be performed. The error recovery measure which finally repairs an error, must be communicated from the industrial machine to the central system for message diagnosis. If the same error with the previous insufficient error recovery measures is found on the same machine or on the same type of machine or on components of the same type, then a new error recovery measure or measures are stored in the center, i.e. in the central diagnostic unit. Error messages can be evaluated in the context of the accompanying circumstances. The accompanying circumstances can be characterized by the order of the received messages and also by the time stamp of the messages provided by industrial machine or its components. The accompanying circumstances are not only additional error messages and/or alarms, but also operating states. These accompanying circumstances are also stored in the central message diagnosis. The message to the central message diagnosis can also be provided in those cases where the central message diagnosis is associated only with an error, but not yet with an error recovery measure.
According to yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, error messages of industrial machines and/or of their components can be evaluated statistically.
Error messages of the industrial machines or components are reported to the center having the message diagnosis. The number of error messages and the temporal receipt of error messages can be stored in the center. Statistical data is computed from this information which allows conclusions about the error frequency. Also possible are conclusions about errors under specific accompanying circumstances. The operation of the electrical machine or the components can be improved through additional analysis of the error messages, as can be the spare parts inventory. Results of the statistical data can be used to improve the product or to develop a new product.
According to still another advantageous embodiment of the method, the industrial machine and/or one or several of its components can be identified.
Industrial machines and their components include electronic circuitry. Electronic components can be constructed to be identified, for example by a product number, an identification number, a search number or another numeric or alphanumeric system. Identification makes it possible to uniquely associate error messages with industrial machines and/or components. When components are uniquely associated, a proposal for procuring spare parts can be made in the context of error recovery measures. The center can facilitate or initiate spare parts procurement. For example, a central spare parts inventory control system can determine where a spare part is available. Another advantage is the timely identification for procuring a spare part. Accordingly, the center with message diagnosis can also facilitate and/or organize spare parts procurement. By determining the identity of defective components or defective industrial machines and the time when an error occurred, statistical data can be gathered individually for different industrial machines or components about the error frequency. From the error frequency, conclusions can be drawn with respect to components and their application environment. For example, different errors occur in coastal areas where the air has a high salt content than in areas with less salty air. Knowing the local environment is frequently advantageous for analyzing the errors. The installation sites can be communicated to the center together with the identification numbers by the operator or the manufacturer of the machine. The location can also be determined with systems such as GPS, or in Internet applications by localizing the server and in telecommunication installations by localizing the exchanges. In cellular mobile telephone networks, a coarse localization of at least the transmitting unit relative to the center is possible via the base stations. Because a communication link has to be established between the industrial machine or component to the center, these links can also be used to aid in the determination of the location.
In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the message diagnosis unit can be used for procuring spare parts.
The message diagnosis unit has information about past errors and the error recovery measures for repairing these errors. If an error recovery measure requires replacing a component by a spare part, then a central message diagnosis unit is provided with information about spare part inventory and/or spare part procurement. Proposals for procuring a spare part can be transmitted from the center to the local industrial machine or the components. These proposals include, for example, information about spare parts suppliers, spare parts inventories, delivery times, travel conditions or contract terms.
For one of the aforedescribed embodiments of the method for message diagnosis, there is also provided a message diagnosis unit for carrying out at least part of the method. The central message diagnosis unit is adapted to receive one or several error messages and their accompanying circumstances from an industrial machine. The error messages can be diagnosed, wherein if the error image is known, at least one error recovery measure stored in the message diagnosis unit can be transmitted immediately.
The central message analysis unit, i.e., the message diagnosis unit, analyzes messages error messages and also alarm messages which can be viewed as error messages. Error messages together with the accompanying circumstances produce error images. An error image includes at least one error message. The error images are compared with stored error images. If an identical or similar error image is found, then the error recovery measures associated with a determined error image are transmitted to the device reporting the error, which is in particular the industrial machine.
In an advantageous embodiment, the message diagnosis unit is a central unit that is associated with at least two industrial machines that are at least partially identical. The capacity of the message diagnosis in the message diagnosis unit can thereby be better utilized and expert knowledge present in the message diagnosis unit can be updated more quickly.
According to another advantageous embodiment, the message diagnosis unit is connected with at least one additional message diagnosis unit. The connection is a data connection, for example, via the Internet. In this way, data can be exchanged between different message diagnosis units.
According to yet another advantageous embodiment of the message diagnosis unit, for at least one occurrence of an error, at least one error message as well as the accompanying circumstances and at least one error recovery measure can be transmitted from the industrial machine to the message diagnosis unit.
If an error image is unknown to the message diagnosis unit or if only similar error messages are known and if corresponding error recovery measures do not eliminate the error, then other measures have to be taken by the person(s) responsible for the repair. The measures that eliminate the error can be and will be communicated at least to the central message diagnosis unit. The communication includes the error message or the error image with the accompanying circumstances and the corresponding successfully performed error recovery measure(s). The information can be transmitted via different channels. For example, the information can be communicated by the industrial machine or the component which is in communication with the message diagnosis unit. The information can also be communicated via fax, a letter or a telephone call or other similar means. Information concerning an error with the corresponding accompanying circumstances can be communicated automatically to the central message analysis unit by the industrial machine. Because a message diagnosis unit is attended by at least one person, information about an error and the error recovery measures can also be updated via a man-machine-interface (MMI).
According to an advantageous embodiment of the message diagnosis unit, the industrial machine and/or one or several of its components can be identified.
Because industrial machines, such as machine tools, production machines or robots or their components, as well as motors or converters carry identification numbers, errors can be associated with an identifiable component. This association allows the production of statistical data relating to the error frequency of certain components. In addition, the error frequency within certain batches can be evaluated. By identifying the respective component, spare parts procurement can be simplified, since defective components can be identified and spare parts can be ordered for an exchange of the defective part. The identification feature is particularly advantageous with a centralized message diagnosis unit.
In an advantageous embodiment of the message diagnosis unit, the Internet can represent a medium for exchanging data between the industrial machine and a central message diagnosis unit.
The Internet or data transport systems arranged like the Internet have become commonplace. By assigning identification numbers to the devices in the Internet, the respective device can be identified and possibly also associated with a location. The Internet enables a continuous as well as a temporary connection with the central message diagnosis unit. The temporary connection can be established in particular when an error or a message occurs which requires connection with the central message diagnosis unit. Temporary connections can be established, for example, as a point-to-point connection via a telephone line.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and from the claims.